Machine for inserting fastenings.



A. BATES & H. P. GAMBLE. MAGHINE FOR vIIQTSERTING; FASTENINGS.

APPLIUATION FILED DEO.7,1906.

30 6 Patented May 25, 1909.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A. BATES & H. P. GAMBLE. MACHINE FOB. INSBRTING FASTENINGS.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.7,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented May 25, 1909.

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THE NORRIS PETE TINT RTATES ATENT FFIQE.

ARTHUR BATES AND HENRY PERCIVAL GAMBLE, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORSTO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed. December 7, 1906.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR BATES and HENRY P. GAMBLE, subjects of theKing of England, residing at Leicester, in the county of Leicester,England,have invented certain Improvements in Machines for InsertingFastenings, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters onthe drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for in serting fastenings, and hasfor its object the improvement of that type of fastening-insertingmachines in which a plurality of kinds of fastenings are maintained insuch relationship to the'inserting mechanism that fastenings of any kindmay be supplied for inser tion in accordance with the nature andrequircments of the work or portion of work upon which the machine isoperating.

The term fastening, as used throughout the specification and claimsshould be understood to include not only such articles as are intendedfor attaching to each other two or more pieces of work, but also sucharticles as are inserted in the work merely for purposes ofornamentation or for resisting wear.

One object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the typespecified, means for varying automatically the selective relation shipof the fastening-delivering mechanism and the fastening-insertingmechanism in such manner that the kind of fastening may be suitedautomatically to the nature or requirements of the work or portion ofwork into which it is to be inserted.

A further object of the invention is to provide sensitive means forinitially determining the relative selective movement of thefastening-delivering and fastening-inserting mechanisms, the relativemovements of these mechanisms being effected by means con nected to somemoving part of the machine. W'ith such sensitive means the machine isadapted to make selections of fastenings for very slight variations inthe work, and the burden of the selective movement is not thrown uponthe work and thus the actuation of the initial determining means is notinterfered with by other physical properties of the work than those forwhich selections are to be made.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of means forimparting to the rela Specification of Letters Patent.

MACHINE FOR INSER'IING FASTENINGS.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 346,756.

tively movable parts a positive tendency to remain in whatever positionwith relation to each other they may be placed.

For purposes of illustration, this invention is represented as appliedto a loose nailing machine of the kind shown in the pending applicationof George Goddu, Patent No. 898,573, dated September 15, 1908, althoughit is obvious that it might be applied to any fastening-insertingmachine in which there is provided a relative selective movement betweena fastening-delivering mechanism, containing a plurality of kinds offastenings, and a fastening-inserting mechanism. In the machine of thepatent, a plurality of sources of fastenings are provided, eachcontaining preferably a different kind of nail and leading from eachsource of supply to the inserting mechanism "is a nail guide. Means areprovided for changing the relative positions of the nail guides and thenail-receiver, which in this instance is the driver passage in the nose,to bring one or another of the guides into position to deliver thedesired kind of nails to the receiver.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, work-calipering meansare provided which actuate the initial determining means in accordancepreferably with the variations in the thickness of the work. Thefasteningdelivering mechanism is provided with fas tenings differing inlength and the delivering mechanism is connected with. actuating meanswhich operate to move it into position to deliver a fastening of alength suited to the thickness of the work, the direction of movementbeing determined by the initial deter mining means. The various partsare preferably so timed that the work is calipered at, or approximatelyat, the point at which the fastening, delivered as a result of theaction of the calipering means, is to be inserted. The parts are also sotimed. that the relative movement of the fastening-delivering andfastening-inserting mechanisms will not interfere with the separation ofthe fastening to be delivered from those behind it. As shown, the meanswhich causes the relative movement of these mechanisms is actuated fromthe awl-operating shaft and is preferably actuated upon the descent ofthe awl to enter the stock.

The calipering device may consist of any two relatively movable membersbearing upon opposite sides of the work. In the form of the inventionshown, a movable work-support is pressed up against the under side ofthe work, pressing thework against a stationary member above and thevariations in thickness of the work cause variations in the position ofthe upper end of the work support. Connected with the work-s11 port andactuated by it, in accordance with the variations in thickness of thework, is mechanism which causes variations in the 006perativerelationship of the elements of the means for causing relative movementof the fastening-delivering and fastening-inserting mechanisms wherebysuch relative movement is controlled in accordance with the saidvariations in the thickness of the work.

As shown, this mechanism, which may be called the initial determiningmeans or setting means, consists of a rocking member having upon it areciprocating element which, in the normal operation of the machinereci'procates continually. This element is employed to operate the meansthat changes the relative osition of the delivering and inserting mecanisms. By a'change in the position of the work-support, a correspondingchange is effected in the position of the rocking member andconsequently in the path of the reciprocating element upon it. Theelement operates the changing mechanism in accordance with the positionof the path of the element at the moment when the mechanism and elementare engaged and this effects the desired change in the selection of thefastening delivered.

In the accompanying drawings which show only so much of the mechanism ofa double raceway loose nailing machine as is necessary to illustrate thea plicat'ion of the invention thereto, Figure 1 s h vation a portion ofthe loose nailing machine with the invention applied thereto; Fig.represents a section of the upper part of the machine at right angles'toFig. 1 and looking f toward the right in that figure; Fig. 3 is adetail view partly in "section, and viewed from the rearin Fig. 1, of aportion of the raceway-shifting mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a section ofaportion of the construction'shown in Fig. 1, viewed from the samedirection as r in that figure, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 being drawn to a largerscale than Fig. 1.

Like character's designate corresponding- 1 the setting mechanism 1Ssecured, ad ustparts in the several views.

In the constructlon shown, 12 represents the standard of the machinecarrying the: head 14 in hearings, in which is mounted the The awl bar18 is 1 operated through connections with the awl-f actuating shaft 20to cause the awl to be forced down into the stock. In this type of mainoperating shaft 16.

machine, while the awl is still in the stock a lateral movement isimparted-to the awl bar, by mechanism not shown, to feed the stock overthe work-support and bring the 'awl ows in side 'elehole under thedriver. The work-support is shown as a horn 22 which is pressed upagainst the under side of the work under the influence of a spring 23,holding the work against a foot plate 24 while the fastening is beinginserted. The horn is depressed after each inserting operation by anysuitable or usual mechanism to permit the work to be fed by the awl. Theawl shaft has imparted to it an oscillating movement by means of a camdisk 26, having a cam groove 28 in which travels a roll30 upon an arm 32attached to shaft 20.

A nail raceway 34, having nail-guiding grooves 36, 38 is supplied withnails by a hopper 40, the hopper being so constructed and arranged as tobe capable of delivering one kind of nails to groove 36 and another kindto groove 38. The raceway can be shifted to bring either of the grooves86, 38 into alinement with the driver passage in a nose'or throat 42, sothat either kind of nails can be fed as desired into the passage, andsubsequently driven by 'a driver 44 into the work. I

From the foregoing description of the oper'ation of the parts of themachine it will be noted that the position of the upper end of the horn22 is determined by the thickness of the Work clamped between it and thefoot plate 24. Advantage is taken of this fact in the construction ofthe invention illustrated to cause the position of the horn to determinethe length of nail that should be driven into the work. To this end,connections are provided between the horn and an initial determiningmechanism or setting device, so that the nail change will be governed bythe thickness of the work.

As illustrated, the horn 22 is connected to one end of a lever 46pivoted at 48 upon the frame of the machine, the other end of the leverbeing connected by a rod 50 With a "second lever 52 fulcrumed at 54 uponan extension of the frame. The lever 52 is also connected by a rod 56with an arm or projection 58, forming part of, or secured to, a swingingarmor frame 60 pivoted at 62 upon the machine frame. The rod 56 has itsends reversely threaded, the said ends engaging nuts secured to lever 52and arm 58 respectively, whereby 'an adjustable connection between thework-calipering mechanism and ment being effected by rotation of the rod56. The swinging arm 60 has a guideway 64 (see Fig. 2) formed in itlengthwise thereof, and in the guideway a slider 66 is arranged torec'iprocate. The slider 66 is reciproc'ated through connections fromthe awl shaft 20, a spring 68 mounted below and partly Within the slidertending normally to raise the slider. The connections which operate theslider comprise an arm 70 on the shaft "20, a ball-ended link '72 and ayielding device. The slider or plunger 66, reciprocating within theswinging arm or frame 60, is so disposed to its actuating element, i.6., the ball-ended link, that after the arm or frame 60 has been swungto one side or the other as will be hereinafter described, the thrust ofthe said actuating element will tend to maintain it in the position.thus assumed. The yielding device shown consists of a spring 74 inclosedwithin a recess in arm 70,. which spring bears at one end on ascrew-threaded plug 76 and at the other end on a piston 78 within whichone end of the ball-ended link 72 is seated. The other end of theballended link is provided with a socket 80 which engages a ball on theend of a screw 82, screwed into the slider 66 and providing adjustmentbetween the slider 66 and arm 70. The slider 66 is provided with anadjustable block 84 secured to the slider by a set screw 86. The block84 has two lugs formed upon it, one on each side and at the end of eachlug is a tooth or knife edge 88, 90, respectively, (see Fig. 1).

A rockshaft 92 (see Fig. 2) j ournaled in the machine frame with itsaxis substantially parallel with that of the swinging arm 60 hasextensions 94, 96, at one end, one on each side of its axis and eachextension has a tooth or knife edge 98, 100, respectively, projectingtherefrom, each of which is adapted to cooperate with the correspondingtooth or knife edge 88 or 90 on the slider, as will hereinafter appear.In addition to the knife edges, the members are provided with thrustsurfaces 102, 104 respectively, adapted to engage the under surface ofthe block 8 1, being first brought into proper position for suchengagement by the cooperation of one of the knife edges upon the onemember with the corresponding knife edge of the other member. Rockshaft92 is provided at its other end with a crank arm 93 which is coupled tothe raceway 34 by a ball-ended link 95.

The operation of the machine, so far as it relates to the presentinvention, is as follows: hen work of such thickness as to require along n ail is inserted between the horn 22 and foot plate 24, theconnections between the horn and swinging arm 60 will swing said arminto such a position that the knife edge 88, formed on one of the lugsprojecting from the block 84 on the slider 66, will be in operativerelationship to the tooth 98 on one of the extensions of the rockshaft92. The slider 66 will then be reciprocated through its-connections withthe awl operating shaft, the knife edge 88 will engage the tooth 98 ofthe rock-shaft thereby rotating said shaft in a counter-clockwisedirection in Figs. 1 and 4, and causing it, through the crank arm 93 andball-ended link to move the raceway 3 1 to bring the groove containingthe long nails into alinement with the driver passage in the throat.When work which requires a shorter nail is between the horn 22 an d thefoot plate 24., the swinging arm. 60 will be so moved that upon thereciprocation of the slider the other knife edge 90 will engage thecorresponding tooth 100 upon the other extension of the rock shaft 2 andthus rock said shaft in the reverse direction, thereby bringing theraceway groove which contains the shorter nails into alinement with thedriver passage.

In order that the rockshal't 92 shall have a tendency to remain ineither of the two extreme positions into which it is moved by the slider66, an arm 106 is provided, said arm projecting from the extension 96and forming a bearing for the end of a toggle or ball-ended link 108,the other end of which is seated in a spring-pressed plunger 1.1.0. Thetoggle or link 108 is so disposed in relation to the spring-pressedplunger 110 and to the part 106 on the rockshal't 92 against which itthrusts as to tend to move the rockshaft into and keep it in its extremeposition whenever it is moved past middle position. Adjustable stops1.12, 11% mounted in the frame are provided to regulate the amount ofturning of the shaft 92 so that the grooves in the raceway 3 1 can beadjusted to exactly register with the driver passage in the throat 42.Other stops 116, 118 are arranged upon the machine frame to limit thethrow of the swinging arm 60 and, to prevent the thickness of the solesbeing dealt with in the machine from being correspondingly limited, atyielding connection is provided in the rod 50 which forms part of theconnections that transmit the motion from the horn 22 to the swingingarm 60. Such yielding connection is provided by constructing the rod 50of parts capable of relative movement to each other and connecting theseparts by a spring 51, so that when a sole of greater thickness than isrequired to give the necessary movement to effect the change-over ofraceways is introduced between the horn 22 and the foot plate, theswinging arm will first be moved over to its extreme position and theextra movement will be taken up by the yielding connection. The yieldingdevice in the chain of connections hetv-reen the awloperating shaft 20and the slider 66 which. comprises a spring 74 between the lever 70 andthe ball-ended link 72 is provided for the purpose of preventingbreakage of the parts should anything, for example an improperly fednail, obstruct the movement of the raceway 34, and the ball-ended linkis employed in this connection, on account of the awloperating shaft 20moving in a path that is at an angle to the center 62 on which the iswinging arm 60 turns. In practice the raceway 34 has movements otherthan those herein described, and to provide for these movements, theconnection between the crank arm 93 and the raceway 84 is made by thelink 95 having a ball-and-socket conneotion with each of these members.

In order that the movements of the calipering means, under the influenceof variations in the work, may be magnified in the setting device, theconnections between rods 50, 56 and lever 52 are so positioned upon saidlever with reference to its fulcrum 54 that such magnification isproduced. It will be noted also that the arms of lever 46 are soproportioned as to further magnify the movements of the work-caliperingmeans.v

The reciprocating element is shown as carried by the rocking member, butit is obvious that the invention is not limited to this con struction,nor is it limited to a construction in which the reciprocating member isactuated from the awl-opcrating shaft. This member may be actuated fromother parts of the machine.

Although the invention is shown as applied to a machine in whichselections are made from two kinds of fastenings only, it is obviouslynot limited in its application to such machines, since it may be readilyadapted, by mere multiplication and modification of the parts, to selectfastenings from any number of sources of supply.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination witha plurality of sources of fastening supply, a fastening receiver and afastening guide leading from each source to said receiver, said guidesbeing movable relatively to said receiver into differentfastening-delivering positions, of a foot plate and a work support, saidfoot plate and work support being also relatively movable to caliperwork of varying thickness and means governed by the movement of one ofsaid last named parts for bringing said guides into differentfasteningdelivering positions with respect to said receiver constructedto have no effect upon said guides when the work is of uniformthickness.

2. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver said guides and receiver being relatively movable, of amovable setting device, means for automatically setting said device toindicate by its positions variations in the work, and automatic meansmounted upon said setting device and controlled in its movements by thepositions of said device for moving said receiver and guides relativelyto each other.

3. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, of asetting device, means for automatically positioning said setting deviceto indicate variations in the work, means for causing a relativemovement between said guides and receiver, and intermittently completedactuating connections between said device and said last-named means forvarying the relative movement of said parts in accordance withvariations in the work constructed to operate only for variations ofpredetermined amount.

4. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening re ceiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, of amovable setting device, mechanism for moving said guides and receiverrelatively to each other, automatic means for initially moving saiddevice without affecting the relation of said guides and receiver andmeans car ried by said device and movable relatively thereto forgoverning said mechanism.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination withfastening-delivery mechanism and fastening-inserting mechanism, saidmechanism being relatively movable, of means for relatively moving saidmechanisms comprising parts arranged to be.

brought into and out of operative engage ment with each other and meansfor governing said relative movement comprising work-caliperingmechanism and means for causing the movements of said work-caliperingmechanism to vary the operative relations of said parts of said meansfor relatively moving for variations in thickness of the work ofpredetermined amounts without affecting the position of said relativelymovable mechanisms.

6. The combination with a fastening receiver and a plurality offastening guides, of means for effecting a change in the relativepositions of said guides and receiver, comprising means for efiecting arelative movement of said before-mentioned parts, actuating means forsaid moving means, means for effecting a relative movement of saidmoving means and said actuating means into and out of operativeengagement, and automatic means operating while said moving means andsaid actuating means are out of operative engagement for effectingvariations in the points of engagement or said means in accordance withvariations in the work.

7. The combination with a fastening re ceiver and a plurality offastening guides, of means for effecting a change in the relativepositions of said guides and receiver, comprising means for effecting arelative movement of said before-mentioned parts, actuating means forsaid moving means, means for effect ng a relative movement of saidmoving means and said actuating means into and out of operativeengagement, and automatic means for effecting variations in the pointsor engagement of said means in accordance with variations in the workconstructed to operate only for variations of predetermined amounts.

8. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofmeans for changing the relative positions of said guides and receiver,normally operative means adapted to engage and actuate said changingmeans, and automatic means for varying the point of engagement of saidtwo engaging means in accordance with variations in the work constructedto operate only for variations of predetermined amounts.

9. The combination with a fastening receiver and a plurality offastening guides, of means for changing the relative positions of saidguides and receiver, normally operative means adapted to engage andactuate said changing means, and automatic means operating upon one ofsaid before-mentioned means while said means are disengaged for varyingthe point of engagement of said means in accordance with variations inthe work constructed to operate only for variations of predeterminedamounts.

10. The combination with plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofmeans for changing the relative positions of said guides and receiver,actuating mechanism for said changing means comprising a normallyreciprocating member, a movable guide for said reciprocating member andmeans for moving said guide to vary the path of the reciprocatingmember.

11. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofmeans for changing the relative positions of said guides and receiver,actuating mechanism for said changing means comprising a normallyreciprocating member, a movable guide for said reciprocating member andautomatic means for moving said guide to vary the path of thereciprocating member.

12. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, ofa fastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofmechanism for causing said relative movement, reciprocating means foractuating said mechanism, a member upon which said means reciprocates,and automatic means for varying the position of said member inaccordance with variations in the work.

13. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofmeans for changing the relative positions of said guides and receiver,actuating mechanism for said changing means comprising a nor mallyreciprocating member, a movable guide for said reciprocating member andautomatic means controlled by variations in the work, for moving saidguide to vary the path of the reciprocating member.

14. The combination with fastening-delivering mechanism andfastening-inserting mechanism, said mechanisms being relatively movable,of automatic means for causing said relative movement comprising amember connected to one of said relatively movable mechanisms, andhaving a plurality of engaging surfaces, a reciprocating member having aplurality of corresponding engaging surfaces and automatic means tochange the path of reciprocation of said reciprocating member.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with afastening receiver and fastening guides leading to said receiver, saidguides and receiver being relatively movable, of means for causing saidrelative movement comprising a rocking shaft having engaging membersupon opposite sides of its axis, a reciprocating member having engagingportions adapted to engage the corresponding members of the rockingshaft and means for varying the path of the reciprocation of saidreciprocating member in such manner as to cause an engaging portion ofthe reciprocating member to engage the corresponding member on one sideof the axis of the rock-shaft only.

16. A raceway having two fastening guides and movable to and fro intotwo different fastening selecting positions, an oscillating member,means for transmitting to said raceway the movements of said member, asecond member constructed to determine by its contact with saidoscillating member the di rection of swing of said member, workcalipering means, connections between said second member and said workcalipering means, and means for effecting relative movements of saidmembers into and out of operative contact.

17. The combination with a fastening re ceiver and a plurality offastening guides, of means for efiecting a change in the relativepositions of said guides and receiver, comprising, in combination,oscillating means provided with actuating contact portions upon oppositesides of a predetermined line through the axis of oscillation, means theposition of which with respect to said line is controlled by thethickness of the work, said means being constructed for engagement withone or-the other of said actuating portions in -to said membersrelatively moved a positive accordance with its position with respect tosaid line, and means for effecting a relative movement of saidbefore-mentioned two means into engagement with each other whereby theangular position of said firstmentioned means with respect to said linemay be controlled by said second-mentioned means.

18. The combination with a fastening receiver and a plurality offastening guides, of means for effecting a change in the relativepositions of said guides and receiver, comprising, in combination, asetting device, means for effecting an initial movement of said settingdevice of an extent roportional to the thickness of the wor and meanscontrolled in its action bythe position of said setting device withrespect to certain predetermined limits for effecting a uniform 1nalpositioning of said setting device for a certain range of thicknesses ofthe work by I imparting to-it a movement, or a tendency to move, in adirection and to an extent in said direction determined by said limits.

19. The combination with a plurality of sources of fastening supply, afastening receiver and a fastening guide leading from each source tosaid receiver, said guides and receiver being relatively movable, ofactuating mechanism constructed and arranged to effect a relativemovement between said guides and receiver, fastening insertingmechanism, actuating mechanism therefor, yieldingly mounted meanscontrolled by the movement of said second-named actuating mechanism foroperating said first-named actuating mechanism, and means to imparttendency to maintain whatever relative positions they may assume.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with aplurality of sources of fasteningsupply, a fastening receiver andfastening guides leading from each source to said receiver, said guidesand receiverbeing relatively movable, of means for causing saidrelativemovement, means for varying the amount of said relativemovement, said moving means comprising yielding means which accommodatethe moving means to variations in the amount of movement and also impartto the parts upon which they operate a tendency to remain in therelative positions to which they are moved.

2-1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with afastening receiver and fastening guides leading to said receiver saidguides and receiver being relatively movable, of means for causing saidrelative movement, means for controlling said lastnamed means inaccordance with variations in the work, said controlling means beinglimited in its movement, and yielding means interposed in theconnections between said controlling means and the work to accom1nodatethe controlling means to excessive variations in the work.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR BATES. HENRY PERCIVAL GAMBLE.

Witnesses:

NALTER IV. BALL, T. H001).

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 922,447, granted May25, 1909, upon the application of Arthur Bates and Henry PercivalGamble, of Leicester, England, for an improvement in Machines forInserting Fastenings, errors appear in the printed specificationrequiring correction, as follows: In line 89, page 4, the compound Wordfastening-delivery should read fasteningdelivering, and in line 91, samepage, the Word mechanism should read mechanisms and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of June, A. D., 1909.

[SEAL] C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

